Upside-Down Pear Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 2-3 ripe pears
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of sliced almonds (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan. Spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
3. Cut the pears into thin slices and arrange them on top of the butter and sugar mixture in the pan. You can be creative with your arrangement, but make sure the pears cover the entire bottom of the pan.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. In a larger mixing bowl, beat together the white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, until you have a smooth batter.
6. Pour the batter over the pears in the cake pan, making sure it is evenly distributed.
7. If desired, sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the batter for an extra crunch.
8. Bake the